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- Oct 26, 2015
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Mines been through the wringer, had a tough life. If I'm not careful the WLF just pops off. It's a mechanical machine all right, but not very precise at this point.
The EC-TL is bigger & heavier than the EC, but works identically except it has AE. It's a nice, well damped machine. The S is smaller, mechanical, and arguably nicer to hold and use. It has less shutter lag, and despite the loud shutter, has a very nice sound (to my ears), and I don't have issues with vibration. By comparison, the Hasselblad 2000 series is louder with a sharp tinny slap - but is even smaller.
Ultimately, I find the EC-TL on the large side to lug around, especially compared to the S2a. And there is something satisfying working with a precise mechanical machine.
I did not realize size difference between EC & S2, weight not sure how much that is different, obviously some due to size alone. From what I can tell (with very limited handling of S2 a long while back) film advance on EC is much much smoother than on S2. It is reassuring and extremely precise. I see almost no difference in frame spacing in the 3 backs I have.The EC-TL is bigger & heavier than the EC, but works identically except it has AE. It's a nice, well damped machine. The S is smaller, mechanical, and arguably nicer to hold and use. It has less shutter lag, and despite the loud shutter, has a very nice sound (to my ears), and I don't have issues with vibration. By comparison, the Hasselblad 2000 series is louder with a sharp tinny slap - but is even smaller.
Ultimately, I find the EC-TL on the large side to lug around, especially compared to the S2a. And there is something satisfying working with a precise mechanical machine.
Just like the rest of us...
A little over a year ago I reached out to Frank Marshman, even though I believed he'd retired from the Bronica repair business. I had acquired a broken 'S' model that I thought would be cool if it could be brought back to life. Turns out, he was still working on them (he says as long as he has enough "donor" cameras, he'll keep doing it) and it was returned to me good as new. He can be reached at camerawiz@msn.com, https://www.manta.com/c/mm0yggb/camera-wiz-camera-repair
Frank is a super-nice guy!
Guess it might be worth while to send it into him for an overhaul? I only paid $25 for the whole system.
It appears this has been spread around without much basis. What does happen is bottom mirror gets damaged. A lot actually judging by condition of for sale bodies. And that happens when 100 mm lens is dismounted together with helical attached. As some of these get actually cracked, surely they may get pushed in permanently out of alignment.> I would rather have an S2a, versus an EC. The EC has a "double" mirror mechanism, where half of it goes one way, and the other half goes another during an exposure. As I understand it, this mechanism was well-known for going out of alignment. It's easy enough to have proper seals for an S2a viewfinder. Not so easy to keep an EC in proper alignment.
Thanks, that’s some great information. Unfortunately most of the info on Bronica focal plane cameras on the web is loaded with hearsay and sketchy info. I have an original S on the way to me. It probably doesn’t work, but I got it for so cheap, I don’t care, and I may tear it apart to figure out how it all works.
I’ve wanted an early Bronica for a long time, because they are just so pretty (and the Nikkor lenses..) so I’ve thought about starting to consolidate all the information I can find an post it online. We'll see.
The inside thread on the helical is 57mm, you can get filter adapters to 55mm and others, along with spacers to get the right back focus. Among the lenses I've adapted was the 120mm Imagon.
S2a with a Rodenstock Imagon 120mm h/4.5
View attachment 239404
The focus helicoid is racked out so you can see it, C-C macro ring, 57mm-55mm adapter, 55mm-40mm adapter to imagon optical block
The C-C macro ring is used as a spacer, I could have used 55mm spacers instead.
The 55-40mm adapter can be switched with any size to provide the correct port size for a large format lens, or you can drill a metal lens cap. Just about anything can be mounted into the 57mm thread as long as you can find or make the right adapter.
I've heard somwhere there is or was a Minolta extention ring set with 57mm thread.If you don't mind me breaking this down.
Macro ring of some sort with a 57mm thread? 57-55 stopdown - 55-40mm and an optical block on the 55-40.
What is an optical block? And where can I find this macro ring? I have one but it's a smidge too big.
I've heard somwhere there is or was a Minolta extention ring set with 57mm thread.
The Macro ring is a standard extension tube, with 57mm on both ends, male and female. It is not necessary, except to space out the lens to the correct back focus distance. I could have use a bunch of 55mm spacers. The macro rings were common for the Bronica S-series because they were necessary if you wanted portrait distance with longer lenses, as the helicoid did not extend far.If you don't mind me breaking this down.
Macro ring of some sort with a 57mm thread? 57-55 stopdown - 55-40mm and an optical block on the 55-40.
What is an optical block? And where can I find this macro ring? I have one but it's a smidge too big.
The Macro ring is a standard extension tube, with 57mm on both ends, male and female. It is not necessary, except to space out the lens to the correct back focus distance. I could have use a bunch of 55mm spacers. The macro rings were common for the Bronica S-series because they were necessary if you wanted portrait distance with longer lenses, as the helicoid did not extend far.
View attachment 239489
The set (above) probably came standard with the camera.
57mm-55mm adapter is visible, after the macro ring.
The "optical block" is the part that holds only the glass. The Rodenstock Imagon has one optical block, which threads onto the front of the leaf shutter (which is not shown). Most large format lenses have 2 optical blocks, one that threads in front of the shutter unit, and one that threads behind. The thread on the Rodenstock Imagon that I have is 40mm (which fits a Copal #1 shutter). Hence the 55-40mm adapter.
When you adapt a lens, you have to figure out how attachment to the camera (57mm in this case), attachment of the lens (thread or lens board hole), and spacing to provide correct back focus. It will be different (custom) for each lens you want to adapt.
My S2A came with a drilled body cap fitted with a Polaroid Rodenstock Ysaron 127mm lens/shutter.
I've shot several longer lenses on the camera using this body cap with various combinations of extension tubes.
Only downside is the body cap doesn't really lock in place with a secure click.
The body cap bayonets onto the front of the helicoid or extension tube C-A or C-B..
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